The changes induced by transient hypertension on cardiac structure and function are unclear. Pregnancy-induced hypertension offers a natural and spontaneous model of this condition. To assess the potential of echocardiographic Doppler to unmask left ventricular function impairment, we studied 28 women aged 26.4 +/- 7.2 years with pregnancy-induced hypertension defined as blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg in the third trimester of pregnancy without a history of hypertension. Twenty normal pregnant women, aged 27.5 +/- 6.4 years, were the controls. Left ventricular diastolic diameter, fractional shortening, E velocity, A velocity, E/A ratio, isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), isovolumetric contraction time (ICT), ejection time (ET), and the combined index of myocardial performance (Tei index = IRT + ICT/ET), were calculated by echocardiography Doppler 2 to 4 days postpartum. There were statistically significant differences between groups in the following parameters: E/A ratio: 1.3 +/- 0.3 in pregnancy-induced hypertension v 1.5 +/- 0.3 in normal pregnant women (P < .05), IRT: 104 +/- 14 msec v 84 +/- 7 msec (P < .000), and the Tei index: 0.51 +/- 0.15 v 0.35 +/- 0.04 (P < .00), respectively. According to this data pregnancy-induced hypertension evaluated 2 to 4 days after delivery showed left ventricular dysfunction, mainly diastolic. The IRT and the Tei index are the most useful echocardiographic parameters to unmask left ventricular dysfunction in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

We report an unusual case of blunt traumatic aortic injury in which a mobile thrombus located at the isthmus was the only abnormality detected by transesophageal echocardiography. The case illustrates the high sensitivity of this diagnostic tool in aortic trauma and underscores the possibility of finding infrequent evidence of injury in subtle aortic lesions.

Summary: Echocardiographic left atrial size was correlated with 27 electrovectorcardiographic parameters in 93 subjects. In 20 of them hemodynamic studies, including calculation of the left atrial volume, were performed. Subjects were divided into four groups as follows: Group I, 21 healthy subjects; group 11,45 patients with heart disease but no left atrial enlargement; group III, 15 patients with heart disease and left atrial size from 4.1 to 5 cm; and group IV, 12 patients with heart disease and a left atrial size exceeding 5 cm. A good correlation was found between left atrial size and the following parameters: Duration of P wave in standard lead II, voltage of both terminal forces of P wave in lead V I and its maximal vector in the frontal and sagittal planes. A new index (duration/voltage of P wave in lead II) was postulated, which showed an excellent correlation with left atrial size (p

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